Sentences
by TheACF12
Summary: Its been 15 years sicne the Hunger Games ended and in order tokeep the Districts in line and prevent another rebellion, if a person does one bad thing, even like yell at your mother or fail a test, you will be sentenced and get a body part eaten by animal
1. Sentences: The Beginning

"Aaah!" the man screams painfully. I flinch as I hear the snapping of bone and the pouring of blood. The ferocious beast swallows the man's foot in his mouth and then bares his teeth, hungry for more. The man screams wildly as he hops around on his one good leg. It is evident that the blood will not ease and the wound is fatal. Sure enough, within the next minute, the man is on the floor, dead.

The camera zooms in on the man and I recognize him. He _was_ the butcher from our District. I remember the whole debacle when he accidentally gave an Official a bad cut of meat. He was taken from his bed in the middle of the night and sent off to sentencing camp.

That's how the system works. You do one bad thing: it could by the mildest thing possible: you will still get killed. I guess that's the way they plan on keeping the districts in line. Singling out all of the "bad" people is what President Sair calls it.

Personally, I think its even worse than the Hunger Games. My parents, the famous Katniss and Peeta Mellark, told me all of their stories about the Hunger Games. I loved them so much and I still do. But they are dead. They and all the rebels were sentenced as soon as the system came into place. God, I miss them so much.

"Cedar! It's the butcher!" my younger brother Rye says as he burrows his head into my lap, trying to block out the TV and the horrifying sounds coming from it. Officials walk over to Rye and jerk his head so he is sitting in an upright position, looking straight at the TV. Me and my brother both hate watching sentencing each night. It's a mandatory thing, just like the Hunger Games. They call it repentance. I call it murder.

My brother screams as a person's arm is ripped out of its socket. I have the urge to cover is eyes, but I refrain because we have already received our daily warning: Rye hiding in my lap. If I shield him again: we will both be sentenced and I could never let that happen.

I love my brother more than anything in the world. He's all that I have now that Mom and Dad are gone. Losing him would be like losing my heart. I do anything I can to protect him and make sure he behaves. I feel as if it is my duty to treat him like a son to me. I make him behave so he won't get sentenced. Even though he feels that I act harsh to him sometimes, he understands that I am just trying to protect him from sentencing.

The last man is sentenced and 5 Officials enter the room while 5 stay outside the house.

"Sentencing is over. You may now go about your own business but keep good behavior in mind," the guards recite wearily. This is their signature every night when they leave us. Picking up the projector that displays the sentencing, the Officials march out of the room in a single file line.

I hold my brother in my arms and sing him the lullaby that Mom sang to Rue when she was dying. My brother falls asleep and him as well as I are reassured another safe day, free from the evil clutches of the Officials.


	2. Seeing Is Just As Painful As Feeling

A beam of light shines through the window, stirring me awake from my sleep. I groggily sit up and rub my eyes several times.

"Time to get ready for school Rye," I say with as much energy as I can muster.

Rye growls and shoves his face back into his pillow. I sigh with desperation. I walk over and pick up our bathing basin. Walking over to the sink, I fill the basin to the brim with water and hope the sounds of water droplets pounding against the wood will annoy Rye enough to awake him.

Much to my despair, he is still sleeping. I walk over to him and strip him of his pajamas. I then pick him up and place him into the basin. He screams as the cold water cascades around his body. He takes a bar of soap and begins to bathe.

Meanwhile, I set up our breakfast and pack our schoolbags. Having to care for Rye is being like a mother. I have to do everything for him but it is only a small price to pay for the blessing that my brother is.

Rye finishes his bath and then puts on his clothes: pre-laid from yesterday. We both grab our schoolbags and begin to take the mile trek to school. Several times along the way, Rye collapses on to the cold hard ground. His inability to anything strenuous is another reason why I have to dote on him constantly.

"Rye, get up," I say wearily, "We have a quarter mile to go and we only have 15 minutes left till school starts." Rye lets out a guttural groan from deep inside the caverns of his body. Knowing that he can't continue any further, I pick Rye up and proceed to walk to school. I pass a sundial and see I only have 5 minutes left and 1/8 of a mile to go. I begin to dash frantically, Rye flopping like a fish out of water on my shoulder.

I reach the schoolhouse one minutes before the bell rings. Shoving Rye into his classroom, I make the leap into my room a split second before the bell rings.

"Well, well, well, Mr. Mellark," Mrs. Hyrfer says wearily, "Another almost tardy." Officials glare at me disapprovingly. 5 Officials are required to stand by each room during school hours, in case of a potential sentencing. I quickly make my way make to my seat before the Officials get the chance to forcefully push me into it because I was "loitering" too long and "disrespecting" the teacher.

Mrs. Hryfer begins the daily lecture on the history of Panem, the Hunger Games and the sentencings. We are up to the part where District 8 is bombed. Opening my textbook, I let out a long sigh and being to follow along. My teacher blabs on and on and on and on, until I am driven to the verge where I almost scream out loud. But I don't. I would be sentenced if I do.

"PROCEDURE D3!" 10 officials scream simultaneously in a condescending tone. Lining up against the walls, the whole class is scared to death. This procedure could mean an instantaneous sentence for the wrong-doer. 10 officials walk up to the first 10 students on the wall and begin to feel them all over, looking for potential illegal items in their possession. Luckily, I am not one of the first 10 students, so I can wait a while until I am groped.

"NO!" a boy cries out shrilly as an Official reaches into his pocket. His teeth are clattering and and his hands are shaking wildly. Then, out of his pocket, the Official pulls out a GUN. A GUN. A FORBIDDEN GUN. Guns were banned a while back when one person shot one at an Official. He was sentenced. No surprise.

"BACK TO YOUR DESKS EVERYONE!" the Official screams, swiping the gun around the room. I practically dive into my seat. Metal handcuffs are placed on the boy. I recognize him now. His name is Calix Otoro. His brother, Pike is in Rye's class.

"PLEASE! NO! HAVE MERCY ON ME!" Calix pleads helplessly. His plea is returned with a forceful slap by an Official on his right cheek. Tears begin to well up in Calix's eyes. Swelling is beginning to occur. They won't hurt him too bad right now. That will be saved for the sentencing.

5 Officials grab hold of Calix and begin to drag him out the door. He passes my desk and the most shocking thing in the world happens. He grabs into my desk, clenching it tightly. His knuckles begin to whiten as the muscles in his face tense. It is clear to see he is not letting go. The whole class stares in awe. My jaw is wide open. But there is no warning for the shock that comes next.

"Cedar! Please help me! You're strong! You can take some of them out! You, me, Pike and Rye, we could run away. Escape this horrible land and never return. THIS IS A MONTROSITY. Look around you. We live in a horrible, warped place that is far beyond repair. But there is still hope! JUST HELP ME!" Calix screams desperately.

My jaw is almost down to the floor now. An expression of horror is planted on everyone's face, but none of them can compare to the expression on mine. My eyes feel like they are popping out of their eyes balls. My face whitens and all the moisture seems to be sucked out of my throat. I can't believe what Calix just did. He insulted the government. This is the first form of rebellion I have ever seen and now I am dragged into the eye of the storm, which is just beginning to rage.

"I…I…" I babble incoherently. Words are unable to come out. I begin to breathe heavily, fearing I might convulse. Blood splatters all over my face. An Official has punched Calix, knocking him unconscious. Officials come and drag Calix's body out the door. This is the last of District 12 for Calix. He will wake up, lost, confused and knowing of his imminent death. He will think of me in his last moments of life, knowing how I betrayed him and gave in, ensuring his demise for good.


End file.
